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Just bought a Shure SM57 mic for my guitar. Now what comes next before it makes the connection to...

post #1 of 13
11/6/12 at 8:13am
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I've always used one of those Line 6 Pod XT Live pedals for recording guitar, straight through the usb interface. Easy stuff!
But I sold that to buy individual effects pedals, which I prefer for playing live. What I didn't consider when I sold it, was er, how am I gonna record guitar now!?

So I ordered myself a Shure SM57 mic with an XLR cable and a couple of converters to change the XLR cable into 1/4 and 3.5mm jacks. I figured I could just plug it straight into my pc and record. No? I might have to get a preamp I hear? I spent all my budget on the mic :/ Wasn't cheap... So I'm hoping there is some kind of cheap solution to this problem. Can anyone advise? Thankyou.
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post #2 of 13
11/6/12 at 8:25am
Yes, you will need a preamp. I picked an xlr to USB cake and saved myself the hassle. It was $40.

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post #3 of 13
11/6/12 at 8:28am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by exnihilo View Post

Yes, you will need a preamp. I picked an xlr to USB cake and saved myself the hassle. It was $40.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for the reply. What exactly did you buy? Could you link me? Thanks.
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post #4 of 13
11/9/12 at 3:07pm
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Can anyone help please? Thanks.
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post #5 of 13
11/14/12 at 9:47am
You're rather lucky that your SM57 doesn't require Phantom power or you'd need something expensive like the Blue Microphones Icicle.

As it is, something like this will do...

www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4252024

Or this:

http://www.amazon.com/Alesis-MicLink-AudioLink-Series-Cable/dp/B001OXLNMG/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1352914693&sr=1-1&keywords=miclink

The SM57 is a good microphone, but do more research in the future! You could have gotten a decent USB microphone for about the same money.
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post #6 of 13
11/18/12 at 5:19pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevmatic View Post

You're rather lucky that your SM57 doesn't require Phantom power or you'd need something expensive like the Blue Microphones Icicle.
As it is, something like this will do...
www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4252024
Or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Alesis-MicLink-AudioLink-Series-Cable/dp/B001OXLNMG/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1352914693&sr=1-1&keywords=miclink
The SM57 is a good microphone, but do more research in the future! You could have gotten a decent USB microphone for about the same money.

Thanks for the info smile.gif
Well it does require phantom power doesn't it? Isn't that why I'd need the usb converter thing? Otherwise it would work straight into the mic socket on my soundcard.
Luckily though I have managed to pickup a a nice pre amp with a built in compressor and a few other things for a reasonable price off a friend. Just hoping it don't blow my soundcard!
I asked around a fair bit and most people recommended an sm57 so that's what I went with. I'm sure it'll do a good job judging by the recordings I've heard smile.gif
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post #7 of 13
11/18/12 at 5:25pm
Next up: A small 4 channel mixer with built in mic pre's thumb.gif

Then you could get a second mic and set it further back from the cone or mic the back of the cabinet.

PS
What guitar and amp do you have?
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post #8 of 13
11/19/12 at 5:31am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirtyworks View Post

Next up: A small 4 channel mixer with built in mic pre's thumb.gif
Then you could get a second mic and set it further back from the cone or mic the back of the cabinet.
PS
What guitar and amp do you have?

Well I'm out of spending cash now :/ But my pre amp has an eq on it smile.gif I might even see what happens if I plug my guitar straight into it to. Sure it wont be as good but will be interesting to see.

It's one of those hybrid valve/digital marshall valvstate amps. 150w. Had it for about 5 years now. And I'm running celestion speakers in my cab.

Do you know if it's risky plugging it straight into my onboard soundcards mic socket btw? I'm a bit worried about damaging it. Was thinking of turning the pre amp input up to boost the mic but turn the output down very low for the soundcard. I dunno :/

Edit: Just had a look at the back of this pre amp. There are 2 Line Outputs with 1/4 jack sockets which I can convert to 3mm jacks before it goes to my pc. The other thing I'm confused about is that one says "+4dBu" and the other says "-10dBv". Any idea what the differences are and which one I should use?
Edited by ET900 - 11/19/12 at 7:18am
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post #9 of 13
11/20/12 at 11:19am
Use the -10. I think the +4 is for connecting to other professional-level devices; its more higher voltage so that any noise is overpowered more, but standard home audio stuff can't handle it. I doubt it would hurt your PC any, though, it would just be more likely to clip.

Regardless, plug the output of your preamp into your Line in, not your Mike in, because it'll already be amplified.

Anyway, no, the SM57 does not require phantom power. But its output is too weak for computer sound cards to pick up, hence the need for a preamp. Its also balanced, which computers aren't designed for. Hence the need for an adapter.

You ask "Do you know if it's risky plugging it straight into my onboard soundcards mic socket btw?" but its not really clear what you are asking to plug into your PC. The output of your speaker amplifier?
Edited by kevmatic - 11/20/12 at 11:22am
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post #10 of 13
11/21/12 at 8:09am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevmatic View Post

Use the -10. I think the +4 is for connecting to other professional-level devices; its more higher voltage so that any noise is overpowered more, but standard home audio stuff can't handle it. I doubt it would hurt your PC any, though, it would just be more likely to clip.
Regardless, plug the output of your preamp into your Line in, not your Mike in, because it'll already be amplified.
Anyway, no, the SM57 does not require phantom power. But its output is too weak for computer sound cards to pick up, hence the need for a preamp. Its also balanced, which computers aren't designed for. Hence the need for an adapter.
You ask "Do you know if it's risky plugging it straight into my onboard soundcards mic socket btw?" but its not really clear what you are asking to plug into your PC. The output of your speaker amplifier?

Thanks for the reply smile.gif

The reason I thought it needed phantom power is because Shure do a usb adapter called the x2u which states it gives phantom power. But I'll take your word for it as I don't really know a great deal about this stuff!

What I'm going to do is mic up my acoustic guitar or the cab from my electric guitar, the mic runs into the pre amp, and then one of those line outs from the pre amp goes into the line in on my onboard soundcard. I was just a little worried about it damaging the soundcard. I wasn't sure if it'd give to much power. I have damaged a soundcard before using an output on a little practice amp. I spent a lot on my rig so I'm just a bit :/ I will go for the -dBv line out from the pre amp then as you suggested. The pre amp also has a +48v boost button for the input so I take it I should avoid using that also in this situation!?

Thanks again. Really appreciate the help smile.gif
Edited by ET900 - 11/22/12 at 6:30am
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